Rotatable coupling mount

ABSTRACT

An adjustable holder for a detachable receptacle to receive a beverage container is provided, where the holder is attachable to a variety of cylindrical or similar structures and is capable of adjusting the angular position of the receptacle. The adjustable holder has a mounting bracket, a beverage container, and a quick-release system including a tab and a matching slot. The quick-release system provides rotational freedom, where a user can easily rotate the mounting bracket by hand with respect to the beverage container.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.62/773,167 filed Nov. 29, 2018.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present description includes embodiments generally directed to anadjustable holder for a detachable receptacle. More specifically, theembodiments are directed generally to a holder for a receptacle toreceive a beverage container wherein the holder is attachable to avariety of cylindrical or similar structures and is capable of adjustingthe angular position of the receptacle.

BACKGROUND

In many scenes of outdoor activities such as sports or picnic, adequatehydration is crucial for the health of those participating in theactivities. Often, carrying bulky beverage holders may be cumbersome ina lot of activities. For example, cyclists carry minimum amount ofbelongings to reduce weight when travelling on a bicycle. Water bottlesare often tied around either a seat tube or a down tube of the frame. Abottle holder may be tied to the seat tube or the down tube and hold abottle receptacle, where a water bottle may be stored. These bottleholders are not meant to hold open bottles of general types containingliquid, because the seat tube and the down tube are slanted with respectto the horizontal and vertical directions and these bottle holders aretied to these tubes in line with the direction of the tubes, and thewater bottles in the bottle receptacles are also slanted. Only suchbottles specifically designed with spout caps or sipping caps may beused without spilling its contents for these bottle holders.

In other occasions, many baby strollers are equipped with bottleholders. Bottle holders on baby strollers may be fixed across the sidepoles and placed below the handle so that moms can easily reach for milkbottles or other bottles. These bottle holders are usually made in theform of a horizontal tray when the stroller is unfolded. In this way,the bottle holders are able to hold open bottles straight up so that thebottles may not spill liquid in them. However, these bottle holders arebulky plastic pieces and negatively affect the portability of strollers.

Therefore, there is currently need for an adjustable holder for abeverage container that is easily attachable and detachable to andadjustable to various cylindrical poles at various angles.

SUMMARY

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of representativeconcepts in a simplified form that are further described below in theDetailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify keyfeatures or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is itintended to be used in any way that would limit the scope of the claimedsubject matter.

A rotatable coupling mount device for a beverage container is needed.More specifically, a rotatable coupling mount device that can beinstalled on cylindrical poles of varying sizes and angles so that thebeverage container can always be facing upward is needed. Further, arotatable coupling mount device where the beverage container is easilyattachable and detachable is needed.

In one or more embodiments, a rotatable coupling mount device includesat least one of the following elements: (1) a mounting bracket; (2) acylindrical, rigid beverage container; and (3) a quick-release systemincluding a tab and a matching slot. The tab has the shape of a circulardisc and is attached to the mounting bracket. The tab also has a ballplaced at the center of the circular disc. The slot is attached to aside of the beverage container and matches with the tab so that the tabcan slide into the slot. The slot also has a dimple that matches theshape of the ball such that, when the tab slides into the slot, the ballwithin the tab is pushed outward by a spring and eventually received bythe dimple. In this way the mounting bracket and the beverage containerare securely connected by the quick-release system.

The mounting bracket and the beverage container are easily detachableand attachable by hand. Moreover, the angle of the beverage containerwith respect to the mounting bracket and the structure to which themounting bracket is fixed may be easily adjusted by rotating the tabaround its center of axis inside the slot.

The beverage container has a size configured to contain beverage bottlesand/or cups of various sizes. In some embodiments, the beveragecontainer may receive and hold a plastic 500 ml water bottle. In someembodiments, the beverage container may receive and hold mug cups. Insome embodiments, the beverage container may receive and holdtemperature-preserving bottles having insulating sleeves or insulatinglayers. Beverage containers of various sizes may be interchangeably usedwith one mounting bracket.

In some embodiments, the beverage container may have a drain hole foreasy cleaning in case some liquid is spilled out of a beverage bottle.

Other aspects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described by way of exemplary embodiments,but not limitations, illustrated in the accompanying drawings in whichlike references denote similar elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rotatable coupling mount device inaccordance with an illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 2A is a front view of a tab and mounting bracket combined unit inaccordance with an illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 2B is a top view of a tab and mounting bracket combined unit inaccordance with an illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 2C is a perspective view of a tab and mounting bracket combinedunit in accordance with an illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 2D is a perspective view from a different angle of a tab andmounting bracket combined unit in accordance with an illustrativeembodiment.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a tab and mounting bracket combined unit and anexemplary adjustable strap in accordance with an illustrativeembodiment.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of a tab and mounting bracketcombined unit, taken along line 4-4 shown in FIG. 2C, in accordance withan illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective sectional view of one embodiment of a beveragecontainer and a combined unit of tab and mounting bracket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the Summary above and in this Detailed Description, and the claimsbelow, and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particularfeatures of the invention. It is to be understood that the disclosure ofthe invention in this specification includes all possible combinationsof such particular features. For example, where a particular feature isdisclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of theinvention, or a particular claim, that feature can also be used—to theextent possible—in combination with and/or in the context of otherparticular aspects and embodiments of the invention, and in theinvention generally.

The term “comprises” and grammatical equivalents thereof are used hereinto mean that other components, ingredients, steps, etc. are optionallypresent. For example, an article “comprising” (or “which comprises”)components A, B, and C can consist of (i.e., contain only) components A,B, and C, or can contain not only components A, B, and C but alsocontain one or more other components.

Where reference is made herein to a method comprising two or moredefined steps, the defined steps can be carried out in any order orsimultaneously (except where the context excludes that possibility), andthe method can include one or more other steps which are carried outbefore any of the defined steps, between two of the defined steps, orafter all the defined steps (except where the context excludes thatpossibility).

The term “at least” followed by a number is used herein to denote thestart of a range including that number (which may be a range having anupper limit or no upper limit, depending on the variable being defined).For example, “at least 1” means 1 or more than 1. The term “at most”followed by a number is used herein to denote the end of a range,including that number (which may be a range having 1 or 0 as its lowerlimit, or a range having no lower limit, depending upon the variablebeing defined). For example, “at most 4” means 4 or less than 4, and “atmost 40%” means 40% or less than 40%. When, in this specification, arange is given as “(a first number) to (a second number)” or “(a firstnumber)-(a second number),” this means a range whose limits include bothnumbers. For example, “25 to 100” means a range whose lower limit is 25and upper limit is 100, and includes both 25 and 100.

As a preface to the detailed description, it should be noted that, asused in this specification, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the”include plural referents, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicatelike elements.

The present description includes one or more embodiments that aregenerally related to a rotatable coupling mount device for a beveragecontainer. Further, the present description includes one or moreembodiments that include at least one of the following elements: (1) amounting bracket; (2) a cylindrical, rigid beverage container; and (3) aquick-release system including a tab and a matching slot. The tab hasthe shape of a circular disc and is attached to the mounting bracket.The tab also has a ball placed at the center of the circular disc. Theslot is attached to a side of the beverage container and matches withthe tab so that the tab can slide into the slot. The slot also has adimple that matches the shape of the ball such that, when the tab slidesinto the slot, the ball within the tab is pushed outward by a spring andeventually received by the dimple. In this way the mounting bracket andthe beverage container are securely connected by the quick-releasesystem.

This quick-release system provides rotational freedom, where a user caneasily rotate the mounting bracket by hand with respect to the beveragecontainer. Further, the beverage container may be easily detached byhand from the mounting bracket by holding the beverage container andsliding the tab out of the slot. The one or more embodiments may have acombination of the above elements, as well as other elements that willbe described in more detail below.

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of an exemplary rotatable couplingmount device 100. The device 100 has a beverage container 110 that is ingeneral of a cylindrical shape with a hollow area inside the cylindersuch that a user can put in and pull out beverage bottles in thecylinder along container center axis 510. Beverage container 110 may bemade of any material including but not limited to plastic or metal thatprovides enough rigidity to maintain its generally cylindrical shapewhile holding various beverage bottles. Beverage container 110 may alsohave an additional inner lining made of soft flexible material such thatbeverage container 110 may accommodate beverage bottles of varioussizes.

In some embodiments, beverage container 110 may be configured to holdcups with sizes commonly used in the art and found in the market. Insome embodiments, beverage container 110 may have a slit (not shown) onits side, for example on the opposite side of slot 112 described below,configured to receive and contain handles of mug cups. In someembodiments, beverage container 110 may be configured to hold beveragebottles of various sizes ranging from a 500 ml plastic water bottle to a1 liter plastic water bottle. In still some embodiments, beveragecontainer 110 may include an insulating sleeve on its walls in order tokeep the beverage inside cool or hot. In some embodiments, beveragecontainer 110 may have a hollow area with a larger diameter in order tocontain other commercial beverage containers equipped with insulatingsleeves.

On a side of beverage container 110 is a slot 112 for receiving a tab210. The tab 210 is attached to a mounting bracket 250 which isconfigured to be mounted on a supporting structure. An example of asupporting structure may be a cylindrical pole of a baby stroller.However, mounting bracket 250 may be mounted on a supporting structurehaving any cross-sectional shape with a finite circumference, such as asquare or hexagon. An adjustable strap 310 is configured to be securedonto the supporting structure by being tightly wrapped around thesupporting structure. The length or circumference of adjustable strap310 may be adjustable by a hook-and-loop fastener material, such as afastener manufactured by Velcro USA Inc. located in Manchester, N.H.under the trademark Velcro® Brand fasteners. Alternatively, the lengthor circumference of adjustable strap 310 may be adjustable by anadjustable clip and receptacle pair, or any other methods known in theart. In one embodiment, for example, adjustable strap 310 shown in FIG.1 includes a look-and-loop fastener portion 312 so that a user canfasten adjustable strap 310 around supporting structures of variouscircumferences. For tight fastening, a user may hold a pull handle 314and pull it tight around the supporting structure and fasten adjustablestrap 310.

It is worth noting that as long as slot 112 of beverage container 110 isof the matching size with tab 210, various beverage containers ofdifferent diameters, sizes and shapes for various types of beveragebottles and/or cups may be interchangeably used.

Mounting bracket 250 is connected to tab 210 through a neck 212. Tab 210has a shape having circular symmetry such as a disc-like shape so thatbeverage container 110 may be rotatable with respect to mounting bracket250 around the axis of symmetry 214 of tab 210.

As shown in FIG. 1, in one or more embodiments, tab 210 and slot 112 areconfigured so that tab 210 can slide in a vertical direction 118 intoslot 112 through a guide 114 along the side wall of beverage container110 and snuggly fit the top portion 116 of slot 112. Guide 114 istapered with a widened opening in the direction away from top portion116 so that a user can easily slide tab 210 into slot 112. At the bottomsurface of the top portion 116 on the side wall of beverage container110, there is a dimple 512 (shown in FIG. 5). When tab 210 reaches thetop portion 116 of slot 112, a ball 230 in tab 210 which is pushed by aspring 414 (shown in FIGS. 4 and 5) snuggly fits the dimple 512 so thatthe relative position of tab 210 along the vertical direction 118 isfixed. The relative sizes of tab 210 and slot 112 are made such that,after ball 230 snuggly fit in dimple 512, beverage container 110 is ableto rotate around a center axis 214 with respect to tab 210 withsufficient friction. The friction is considered sufficient if,regardless of the angle of mounting bracket 250, a user can easily tiltby hand the angle of beverage container 110 and retain its upwardposition to contain beverage bottles so that the liquid inside thebottles is not spilled.

Alternatively, in one or more embodiments (not shown), tab 210 and slot112 are configured so that tab 210 can be inserted along an axis ofsymmetry 214. In these embodiments, slot 112 has an opening in the shapeof a hollow disc, and instead of sliding, tab 210 is configured to snapinto slot 112 in the direction of axis of symmetry 214. In theseembodiments, slot 112 is disposed on the side wall of beverage container110 and has a receptacle or opening in the direction perpendicular tothe surface of the side wall of beverage container 110 and has a shapeof a hollow cylinder or hollow circular disc. The receptacle or openingis configured such that a user may push tab 210 having a circular discshape into slot 112.

In one of these embodiments, the receptacle or opening is in the form ofa flexible clamp such that it widens when slot 112 is depressed by tab210 when a user pushes tab 210 into slot 112. In this embodiment, thepressure exerted by tab 210 on slot 112 is applied in the axiallyoutward direction from the axis of symmetry 214. Once tab 210 snaps intoslot 112, the clamp narrows again and tightly grabs tab 210.

In another of these embodiments, a retaining ring is disposed around theperimeter of slot 112, and tab 210 has two or more bearings retainedaround the perimeter of tab 210 with springs that push out the bearingsaxially away from axis of rotation 214. The diameter of tab 210including the bearings is slightly greater than the inner diameter ofthe retaining ring of slot 112, such that when tab 210 is pushed intoslot 112, the springs are depressed with their respective bearingspushed inwardly by the retaining ring. When tab 210 is snapped into slot112, the retaining ring of slot 112 prevents tab 210 from escaping andthereby locks tab 210 inside slot 112. Once tab 210 is received by andlocked inside slot 112, these bearings axially push against the innerwall of slot 112 such that beverage container 110 connected with slot112 is able to rotate around center axis 214 with respect to tab 210with sufficient friction. As previously described, the friction isconsidered sufficient if, regardless of the angle of mounting bracket250, a user can easily tilt by hand the angle of beverage container 110and retain its upward position to contain beverage bottles so that theliquid inside the bottles is not spilled.

Turning to FIGS. 2A-2D, FIGS. 2A-2D are respectively a front view, a topview, a perspective view, and another perspective view from a differentangle of exemplary tab 210 and mounting bracket 250 connected together.Tab 210 and mounting bracket 250 may be in one piece, or alternatively,tab 210 and mounting bracket 250 may be made of two separate pieces andlater assembled together using a screw, adhesive, or any other methodknown in the art. Tab 210 and mounting bracket 250 may be made out ofany material having sufficient rigidity. For example, tab 210 andmounting bracket 250 may be made out of such materials including, butnot limited to, plastic, aluminum, or any other metal.

Mounting bracket 250 is configured to engage adjustable strap 310 suchthat, when adjustable strap is fastened around a supporting structure,for example a cylindrical structure such as a pole 318 of a babystroller as shown in FIG. 3, mounting bracket 250 and tab 210 may befixed with respect to the supporting structure. In one or moreembodiments, mounting bracket 250 has two sidebars 252 on the sides ofmounting bracket 250. In these embodiments, mounting bracket 250 engagesadjustable strap 310 by weaving adjustable strap 310 around sidebars 252as shown in FIG. 3. In a non-limiting exemplary mode of operation, whenadjustable strap 310 is tightened around pole 318 of a baby stroller,sidebars 252 push mounting bracket 250 toward pole 318 so that mountingbracket 250 and tab 210 are tightly attached to pole 318. In anon-limiting alternative embodiment, one end of adjustable strap 310 isfixed and anchored on one of the two sidebars 252 (not shown). In thisembodiment, adjustable strap 310 is wrapped around a supportingstructure, looped through the other of the two sidebars 252, and tightlyfastened by a hook-and-loop fastener or using any other fasteningmethod. It is worth noting that the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is onlyexemplary, and other methods of fastening and/or strapping around asupporting structure known in the art may be used.

Turning to FIGS. 4-5, FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of exemplarytab 210 and mounting bracket 250 connected together, taken along line4-4 shown in FIG. 2C. Ball 230 is contained in a cylindrical hollow 410formed inside tab 210 and is stopped by a ball stop 412 so that it doesnot escape the cylindrical hollow 410. Ball stop 412 may be in the shapeof a ring around the opening of cylindrical hollow 410, oralternatively, ball stop 412 may be comprised of two or more bumpsprotruding inwardly from the opening of cylindrical hollow 410. In thecylindrical hollow 410, when there is no force pushing ball 230 insidecylindrical hollow 410, spring 414 pushes ball 230 toward ball stop 412so that ball 230 protrudes slightly from the flat surface of tab 210.When tab 210 slides through guide 114 of slot 112, ball 230 is pushedall the way inside cylindrical hollow 410. When tab 210 reaches topportion 116 of slot 112, protrusion of a portion of ball 230 pushed byspring 414 lands on dimple 512 (shown in FIG. 5). The strength of spring414 is chosen so that the locking of ball 230 and dimple 512 is secureenough, but at the same time a user can easily pull and slide tab 210out of slot 112 by hand.

FIG. 5 is a perspective sectional view of one embodiment of beveragecontainer 110, tab 210, and mounting bracket 250 when tab 210 andbeverage container 110 are locked in position by matching ball 230 anddimple 512. Ball 230 protrudes out of the flat surface of tab 210 andfits the space made by dimple 512. As disclosed above, guide 114 shownin FIG. 5 is tapered out from top portion 116 of slot 112 so that a usercan easily put tab 210 into slot 112. As shown in FIG. 5, in someembodiments, beverage container 110 may have a drain hole 516 at thebottom 514 of the beverage container 110.

While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in theaccompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments aremerely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad application.This application is not limited to the specific constructions andarrangements shown and described because various other modificationswithin the spirit of the present invention may occur to those ofordinary skill in the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. A rotatable coupling mount device for a beveragecontainer comprising: a beverage container comprising a slot; a mountingbracket comprising a tab; and a fastening system for fastening themounting bracket, wherein the slot is configured to receive and engagethe tab in a locked position, and the tab is configured to rotate alongan axis of rotation in the locked position.
 2. The rotatable couplingmount device of claim 1, wherein the beverage container furthercomprises a central axis, and the axis of rotation is perpendicular tothe central axis.
 3. The rotatable coupling mount device of claim 1,wherein the tab has a spring-loaded ball protruding from a surface ofthe tab, the slot has a dimple, and the spring-loaded ball fits thedimple when the slot engages the tab in the locked position.
 4. Therotatable coupling mount device of claim 1, wherein the tab is of a discshape.
 5. The rotatable coupling mount device of claim 1, the slotfurther comprising a guide.
 6. The rotatable coupling mount device ofclaim 5, wherein the guide is tapered with a widening opening.
 7. Therotatable coupling mount device of claim 1, the slot further comprisinga flexible clamp.
 8. The rotatable coupling mount device of claim 1,wherein the tab further comprises a plurality of bearings, and the slotfurther comprises a retaining ring.
 9. The rotatable coupling mountdevice of claim 1, wherein the fastening system further comprises astrap.
 10. The rotatable coupling mount device of claim 9, wherein thestrap is adjustable.
 11. The rotatable coupling mount device of claim10, wherein the strap further comprises a hook-and-loop fastener. 12.The rotatable coupling mount device of claim 10, wherein the strapfurther comprises a pair of adjustable clip and receptacle.
 13. Therotatable coupling mount device of claim 1, wherein the fastening systemis configured to wrap around and tighten a supporting structure.
 14. Therotatable coupling mount device of claim 13, wherein the supportingstructure has a finite cross-sectional circumference.
 15. The rotatablecoupling mount device of claim 1, the beverage container furthercomprising a slit for receiving a cup handle.